The invention relates to a DC/DC converter, in which an active energy store, such as an inductance, can be periodically charged and discharged by means of one or more semiconductor switches, such as transistors.
A DC/DC converter refers to an electrical circuit which converts a DC voltage (input voltage) fed in at the input into a DC voltage with a higher, lower or inverted voltage level (output voltage). The conversion takes place with the help of a periodically operating electronic switch and one or more energy stores. The inductance (inductive converter) used for the intermediate storage of the energy consists of a coil or a converter transformer. In contrast, converters with capacitive storage (capacitive converters) are designated as charge pumps.
The present invention is preferably used on upward converters and/or downward converters. Both embodiments use an inductance, such as a storage throttle, as an intermediate store for energy. In an upward converter the output voltage is always greater than or equal to the input voltage, in a downward converter the output voltage is always less than or equal to the input voltage.